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NASB | Matthew 10:33 "But whoever denies Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father who is in heaven. |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | Matthew 10:33 "But the one who denies and rejects Me before men, that one I will also deny and reject before My Father who is in heaven. |
Subject: Easy to deny Christ? |
Bible Note: Good soldier of Christ, greetings again, friend Charis! You know, when I tip my toe into these deep waters of High Theology I soon find myself in way over my head! Two points (should be called little anecdotes, really) come to mind that were triggered by some of the observations you made in the post to which I am now responding. The first comes from the later Dr. Elton Trueblood, a Quaker and sometime professor of philosophy and religion at Earlham College in Gambier, Ohio. Said he, "The most convincing proof I've ever been able to find for the reality of Christ and Christianity is changed lives." He went on to say that in his long life he had seen any number of men and women who came face to face, as it were, with Christ and their lives were at that moment changed for all eternity. Another related story comes from Dr. William Barclay, a Scottish Presbyterian, perhaps best known for his "Daily Study Bible" series. He relates the story of a cranky old sour-puss in his congregation. One day someone remarked to Dr. Barclay, "Do you suppose that disagreeable woman is really a Christian? I've always thought that Christ came into a person's life and changed it." Dr. Barclay replied, "Oh, yes, I believe she is a Christian, and I believe that Christ has changed her life. You see, I knew that old gal BEFORE she became a Christian. You should have seen how she was then!" ..... So, Charis, you're right: God can (and does) save even those we may not find the most likeable of human beings on the face of His good earth! Soli Deo Gloria! --Hank |